Brain tumours are the most common type of solid tumour in children. Every year, almost 400 children in the UK aged nine or less are diagnosed with a brain tumour and almost 100 children in the UK die from one each year. Approximately, 4% of those diagnosed each year with a brain tumour are children. We recognise the importance of working with families to raise awareness and shine a spotlight on this devastating disease and we are leading the way to increase the national investment in research to help improve outcomes. This year we will spend around £2.5 million on brain tumour research through our three Research Centres of Excellence. These Research Centres are working tirelessly to gain a deeper understanding of child and adult brain tumours. With respect to childhood brain tumours, our researchers are tackling these from many different angles as outlined below:
- Plymouth University is investigating new ways to treat Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2), an inherited condition that can be diagnosed from age five causing tumours to grow along the nerves and can lead to DIPG tumours.
- During 2021 we created a paediatric sub-group at Queen Mary University of London with three new researchers working towards developing new treatments for childhood brain tumours including: medulloblastoma, DIPG, childhood glioblastoma and ependymoma
- Imperial College London has been investigating the role of arginine deprivation in childhood glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).